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Conference wahoo::fishing

Title:Fishing Notes- Archived
Notice:See note 555.1 for a keyword directory of this conference
Moderator:DONMAC::MACINTYRE
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Sep 20 1991
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1660
Total number of notes:20970

1149.0. "Strange but True Tales..." by WAHOO::LEVESQUE (TBD) Fri May 26 1989 15:37

    This topic is dedicated to those strange but true stories...
    
    I have a couple that I got from Sportfishing this month. I'll add more
    as I have time.
    
     A man was taken into court in Sweden for having beaten his wife with a
    live eel. He was found guilty and fined $50 for "cruelty to the eel."
    
     A man decided to take his wife with him during a fishing tournament,
    since she complained about loneliness during his frequent absences. As
    the day progressed, she happened to have incredible beginner's luck,
    while the old man cought nothing. After she caught a particularly large
    fish, he couldn't stand it anymore. He tossed her overboard, and rowed
    back to the dock, claiming her catch as his own. He won a silver sup,
    and was celebrating with a bottle of schnapps when his wife, wet and
    bedraggled made it to the dock. She beaned him with his trophy, and
    told of his treachery. He was stripped of the cup, expelled from the
    club and tossed into the ocean. She became the club's first woman
    member.
    
    A graduate student at the University of Miami was thunderstruck when he
    found his stolen wristwatch on a man's arm inside the stomach of a
    shark he caught. The gold Rolex belonged to the student. police have
    taken fingerprints from the arm in a bid to identify the theif.
    
    The Doctah
    
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1149.1Now I know - CASV01::PRESTONBetter means to worse ends...Sun May 28 1989 22:0721
  Maybe not so strange-but-true, but on Saturday the wife and I went
    bass fishing real early (Winni area) - she's a beginner, and, compared
    to her, an 'expert'... anyhow, we got off to a slow start, no fish
    for a couple of hours, then I caught a sunfish - big deal - on a
    tiny perch replica, while she had so far caught nothing. We were
    both getting a bit irked since it's supposed to be the best fishing
    of the year right now, and I handed her a chartreuse grub and said,
    "try this". She proceeded to catch two feisty smallmouth beauties,
    while I remained skunked. Shortly after that, being butt-numb from
    the plastic canoe seats, we headed home... I feel a bit like the
    guy in the previous story, but I didn't want to emulate his behavior,
    however. My wife must be ok, not only is she not rubbing it in at
    all, but she's not even making a big deal about in around the
    relatives...  she's a keeper!
    
    ... then I go back and read in the Hunting and Fishing Library:
    Smallmouth Bass book that bright flourescent grubs work real well
    on smallies around spawning season... :-(
    
    
    Ed
1149.2Wrong kind of boat mate.GENRAL::HUNTERfrom SUNNY Colorado, WayneMon May 29 1989 21:3624
    	While out fishing a couple weeks ago in my belly-boat, I was
    fighting my way through the moss and hydrilla to get from one side
    of the lake to the other.  I turned around in my tube and saw a
    snake swimming through the water about 30 feet away.  Since the
    snake was down wind and in waves, I didn't think much about it and
    continued casting.  Not knowing what type of snake it was and not
    wanting to paddle into it, I looked around again only to find about
    a 3 1/2 foot long rattler making a beeline for my belly-boat.  Now,
    I am not USUALLY an ungracious host.  However, in this case, I didn't
    quite feel that a 20 inch truck tire inner-tube was quite large
    enough for me AND that little rattler.  So, after I beat the &&*()
    out of him with my rod tip, he decided that it would be less painful
    to go ahead and swim on across the bay.
    	There were some people over on a ledge on the cliff about 50
    yards away from me at the time.  One of the people there told me
    later that they thought they were going to have to call the paramedics
    for me.  They thought I was having some kind of fit out in the middle
    of the lake.  Needless to say, they had the same kind of reaction
    when my little friend swam up onto the cliff and coiled up on the
    end of the ledge.  It was not very long until he had that whole
    cliff ledge to himself.  Then the guys on the bank figured out what
    was happening out in the middle of the lake.
    	Needless to say, I had to wash my waders out when I got home.
    :-)
1149.3more from sportfishing...WAHOO::LEVESQUETBDTue May 30 1989 13:1516
     Two fishermen were understandibly disturbed when they found a pair of
    male legs inside a large tiger shark they had caught. The murder
    victim's (apparently so, the legs were bound at the ankle) identity
    is being investigated by the police.
    
     A man in Austria bet his wife a week's worth of doing the wash that he
    would catch more fish than she. Little did he suspect that his wife
    would become the women's national fishing champion, a feat that has
    kept him washing dishes for the last 18 months.
    
     A man dropped his wristwatch into the water while fishing. The next
    day, his son went back to the same spot with a group of friends. The
    man's son caught the only fish of the day. As they cleaned the fish,
    the noticed a strange lump in the stomach. It was the man's wristwatch.
    
    The Doctah
1149.4Dredging for fishing equipment.BTOVT::SCHOFIELD_KTue May 30 1989 15:2525
    I was just going to look a dir listings for this topic when lo and
    behold...
    
    True story from this weekend folks:  My 6 year old son Jason and my
    brother in law Frank went fishing out on the Lamoille river in Northern
    Vermont.  We were doing some real easy bank fishing using shiners and
    worms with a large split shot to keep it on the bottom.  My son (being
    a bit impatient as 6 year olds can be) didn't care for the pole on the
    stick routine and continued to cast while Frank and I looked on
    commenting on his technique (he's really quite a fisherman and has been
    fishing for 3 years now)  Ok, enough fatherly pride.  On with the
    story:  After some time we noticed Frank's rod tip start to bounce and
    then stop.  After doing nothing for about 30 seconds he put it back on
    the stick and turned back towards me as the rod and reel took off at a
    blistering pace into the water.  Frank could no longer see the rod
    (which was on loan to him from yours truly).  Frank grabbed Jason's rod
    and cast in the general direction of the rod that got away, snagged the 
    line near the rod tip and proceeded to reel in the rod.  He then
    returned Jason's rod and took hold of his original rod eventually
    landing a 15" rainbow in the process.
    
    What a day!  We caught and released 12 fish that afternoon, and kept
    the 15 incher for the grill that night.  Going back on Wednesday night.
    
    Ken.
1149.5Next time I'll bring a camera with film!PACKER::GIBSONI'm the NRATue May 30 1989 15:5515
    How about back in 1944 when a boat of fishermen in long Island sound
    were out dragging nets for bottom fish, There net was suddenly halted
    as their winch strained to haul it in.
    
    The catch of the day turned out to be a German U Boat on patrol
    along our coast.
    
    
    On another note? Last summer I caught a dayglo floresent orange
    fish up off Hampton Beach. Wierdest thing anybody ever saw? We put
    it in a lobster trap for a week and nothing ate it? Then we tried
    to give it to the seagulls, who would not even touch it?
    
    Is this the first of mutant fish from Seabrook? or mabye from the
    New York toxic waste dumpping?
1149.6Killer TroutGRAMPS::LASKYFri Jun 02 1989 14:0527
This came out of the 6/1/89 Boston Globe.  It just goes to show you those 
nice looking fish sure are MEAN!!

UPI London

A Rainbow trout named Tiddles devoured six normally ferocious piranhas 
after a fight with other trout forced it to jump from its tank into 
another, the director of the Tropiqarium said yesterday.

Tiddles leaped from a 12 foot tank at the Tropiquarium, which displays 
exotic fish in Watchet, 120 miles west of London, into the piranha tank.

"It must have been fighting with other fish, and it jumped in with the 
small piranhas." said the aquariums director, Stephen Smith.  "We started
with 17 and now there are just 11"

Ben Hanson a trout breeder who supplied Tiddles to the Tropiquarium, said 
trout are violent and "are quite omnivorous."

Smith said the 8 pound Tiddles is now in a tank alone, and seemed in no 
danger from the piranhas, which have the reputation of stripping a man's 
flesh to the bone is seconds.



					Bart Lasky
1149.7Dem PiranasDLOACT::BEAZLEYFri Jun 02 1989 14:135
    Dey foun som ob dem in de Atchafalaya River don chere som years
    bak. Dey figgur sombody put dem dere wen dey got tired ob dem. I
    dunno if anybody caught any yet tho.
    
    Coonass
1149.8questioning the sourceHPSTEK::HAUERFri Jun 02 1989 14:5211
    
    
    	Bart...are you sure that information didn't come from the newspaper
    	you were reading while waiting in the express line at the grocery
    	store...:-)....You know next to the article about the alien
    	baby born to the Houston couple?????
    
    	Gitzit'
    
    
1149.9Super Trout!CASV05::PRESTONBetter means to worse ends...Fri Jun 02 1989 15:588
1149.10All the news thats fit to printGRAMPS::LASKYTue Jun 06 1989 00:246
    Gitzit,
    
    Knowing the Globe nothing would surprise me, believe me it was in the
    globe and we all know if it's in the newspaper then it must be true?
    
    					Bart Lasky
1149.11WAHOO::LEVESQUESad Wings of DestinyTue Jun 06 1989 13:5820
     I have had the story of the large, piranha eating trout confimred by
    several sources.
    
    New ones:
    
     A man was fishing for white marlin out of (Jersey, I think). His buddy
    hooked a white, which was doing its best to get away. One of it's jumps
    landed it in the cockpit where its bill pierced the man's chest.
    Somehow the man remained in control enough to gaff the fish before he
    collapsed. He survived.
    
     One of the writers for Saltwater Sportsman was stabbed in the buttocks
    by a sailfish. (Ouch!)
    
     Another writer for SWS (Charles Wasserman, I think) was fishing on a
    bridge in Florida. On the backcast he hooked a Ford station wagon,
    which he played expertly for a hundred yards or so until he melted his
    drag washers. :-)
    
    The Doctah
1149.12Just need bigger tackle :-)VICKI::DODIERTue Jun 06 1989 14:359
    re:11
    
    	You need at least a 6/0 reel to land a Ford station wagon:-)
    
    	This may be strange to some and common knowledge to others
    but while jigging for cod this past weekend I realized that my hot
    hook was a teaser consisting of a 7" purple worm on a #6 hook.
    
    	RAYJ
1149.13Real strange tales (But True)SALEM::BOURGAULTFri Jun 09 1989 18:3732
    Strange Experiernce!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    While fishing with my bass-in partner on Winni last week we had
    this rare occurrence.
    
    WE were pre-fishing(tournament) for smallmouths along a rocky shoreline, when
    at the same instance we both made a cast to rock on the point. Our
    baits landed about 3 feet apart. My line started pulling toward
    the boat and toward the left. I reeled in my slack and set the hook
    at the same time my partner started reeling his slack and realized
    that a fish had taken his bait, he set the hook. At this time my
    fish was coming in and I felt a sharp pull. The fish I had on was
    now visible and both my line and my partners appeared to be coming
    from the same fish. As he got closer to the boat we started arguing
    with each other that one of us had snagged the other person's line.
    As we brought the fish aboard one of us from the front and one from
    the rear (18ft boat) we both lifted him from the water. Upon closer
    inspection what we found was my partners bait (gizit) was in the
    mouth of the fish and my gizit was a lip hook. Has anyone out there
    have this happen to them.
    
    To add to this trip on the day of the tournament we launched my
    partners boat without his plug in. When we noticed it he had to
    strecth over the side and insert it. Mission accomplished (thanks
    to the bilge pump) we started fishing. About an hour later he started
    complaining of a burning feeling on his forearm he also had a lump
    with two distinct puncture marks. It appears he was bitten by a
    snake . Fortunately he ended up with nothing more than a large black
    and blue mark left from the expierence. All considered it was Great
    Fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
1149.14WOMAN HIT IN HEAD BY LEAPING FISHGRANMA::JAMESFri Jun 09 1989 20:5522
    Here's one I've had hanging on my bulliten board for a couple of
    years.
    
    PHILADELPHIA- A 19 year old woman remains in critical condition
    at Lower Bucks County Hospital after being knocked out by a 20 pound
    muskellunge that jumped over her fishing boat in the Delaware River
    yesterday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
    
    Leigh Malloy,19,was in a bass boat traveling about 40 mph when the
    fish jumped "three or four feet out of the water and nailed her
    in the head," said Chief Mike Plebani of the Bucks County Rescue
    squad.
    
    "It was the weirdest I've ever heard of," Plebani said.
    
    Malloy was unconscious when her male companion brought her into
    the Neshaminy State Park marina at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
    
    She was admitted to the hospital for head trauma and was in the
    intensive care unit, said Charlotte Rebuck, a hospital spokeswoman.
    
    JA-Who hopes that the fish is OK
1149.15Ski TechniqueWR1FOR::ADELMAN_AADepartment of Redundancy Dept.Mon Jun 12 1989 22:316
    I was with my cousin this past weekend and he told me that while
    he was waterskiing @35mph, a fish jumped out of the water and landed
    on his thigh. The flopped on his thigh for about 5 seconds. He said
    that he was so suprised that he failed to grab the fish. True Story.
    
    Aaron Adelman
1149.16You had to be there!!!SALEM::EASTERTue Jun 13 1989 14:4611
    Here's one for ya!!
    
    Dave Ayotte told me about the time he was fishing by the dam and
    bridge at Beaver Lake in Derry early one spring. He was using a
    fly rod trying to pickup some trout and on one of his back casts
    he hooked a bumper of a passing car. Well, he said that after playing
    the car all the way down through his backing line, and with nothing
    left on his reel, the car broke his line and got away.
    
    
    John.
1149.17Monster from the deep ...NRADM::KARLWed Jun 14 1989 21:1427
    I was fishing for flounder under the Newport Bridge a week and half
    ago, trying out my new fishfinder. After not having any luck - I 
    had just hauled up to move on when I noticed a school of fish
    right under the boat on the fish finder - then the water started
    boiling up with what I'm guessing was a school of Mackerel (could
    have been an early school of Blues). I had a Cristmas tree rig on
    my casting rod and was a little slow on the draw and the school had
    moved on before I got off a cast. I tried to chase them down but
    lost them. I ended up going back to another spot and anchoring
    again.
    
    A little while later I saw this boiling motion again about 75' from
    the boat. I was ready for the suckers this time. As I went for the
    casting rod, this black thing starts coming out of the water! I
    thought what the hey - one of those monsters from a Gary Larsen
    cartoon is coming up to get me!
    
    Well - a scuba diver with no flag almost got nailed with a Christmas
    tree rig! Scared the hell out of me!
    
    I just got my diver certification, so I know this guy should definitely
    have had a flag up.
            
    I hauled up again and got out of the area, as I didn't want to end
    up catching this guy!
    
    Bill
1149.18The fish strikes twiceKAOA01::LAPLANTENot the Northern MagusWed Aug 23 1989 12:5624
    
    I was fishing on Sunday with my son and a friend. 
    
    We weren't getting much bass but the pike were hitting a lot with
    most in the 4-5 pound range. 
    
    At one point I hooked into something that was really pulling and
    it figured to be a reasonable pike. Never found out though because
    it gave an extra tug and the line snapped clean.
    
    Oh well, hook up again with another lure and keep on fishing. About
    twenty minutes to a half hour later I hook into another nice fish.
    This one isn't getting away. 
    
    As we brought him to the boat, I noticed something hanging from
    the side of its mouth. When we brought it in, the thing hanging
    was some line, the leader and my lure from earlier. The pike weighed
    6 1/2lbs and was released, after I retrieved both my lures.
    
    This should show that fish will strike even if they had recently
    been caught and released. Of course pike are constantly ravenous
    so this might not be a good example.
    
    Roger
1149.19PIKE <> FISHGENRAL::HUNTERfrom SUNNY Colorado, WayneWed Aug 23 1989 17:503
    	Roger,
    	Since WHEN do you call those EATING MACHINES fish????  There
    are fish, and then, THERE ARE PIKE!!!  Don't confuse the two. :-)
1149.20The one I didn't mean to catchSA1794::CUZZONESWhat a maroon!Fri Aug 25 1989 17:1631
    
    This has happened a few times in the past but since the latest
    incedent was yesterday, the details are fresher in my mind.
    
    I was fishing the Westfield river for smallmouth and was wading
    a section that is pretty tough going.  The banks are steep rock
    and underbrush and the river bottom alternate between deep much
    and slippery stones.  At one point, I left the river, climbed the
    banks and returned a hundred yards upstream to a flat rock along
    the shore.  My first inclination was to cast downstream and work
    my way upstream but the foliage was pretty thick overhead and I'd
    left enough lures in the treetops already.  So, I told myself that
    I'd allow one cast and if it went tree-climbing, I'd give up and
    work upstream.  Well, you know what happened.  The line went over
    a high branch, the lure dropped into the water and I cursed to myself.
    I tugged and reeled and was surprised to meet resistance since the
    line was merely draped (not wrapped around) over the branch.  I
    tugged again and a bass jumped out of the water with my lure in
    his mouth.  I tugged again, he jumped again and I reeled while he
    was airborn.  He dropped, the branch snapped and I reeled him the
    rest of the way.  The deliar said he was a wiggle over 3#.
    
    On another note, I caught 2 salmon parr (smolts?) by mistake in
    the same spot.  They released several thousand 3 miles downstream
    a couple months ago.  If these guys are any indication, I can't
    wait for the to grow up and return.  I've never seen a 6 inch fish
    that fought so hard.  I hope I live to see the day when Mass.  has
    an open season on Atlantic Salmon.  
                                                                    
    -SSS-
    
1149.21A new pole...RIPPLE::CORBETTKEKENNY CHINOOKFri Aug 25 1989 21:1423
    I guess this story would fit in here.
    
    
    I was fishing the "Ghost Hole" in the Tillamook Bay.  It's a small
    area that the salmon tend to school up before they begin their run
    up the rivers. (There are 5 salmon bearing rivers that dump into 
    the bay).  Anyway, due to the concentration of salmon, there is
    also a concentration of fishermen.  It's like bumper cars there
    as people troll VERY slowly to attract the wily chinook.  a lady
    in the boat next to us had hook onto a very large salmon and was
    fighting as best she could.  We though we were clear, but the salmon
    crossed my buddies line and was hung up.  We backed up the boat
    and cut his line to free her fish. He was left with the remaining
    line and hooks, diver, flasher in his hand.  We backed on down to
    the bottom of the hole to collect our gear, but by then it had hung
    up on the bottom.  As I backed down, he was taking up line around
    his hand.  When we got over the hang up we started to tug on the
    line.  IT TUGGED BACK.  Now he's got a big chinook running all over
    the place, the line is cutting into his hand and I'm trying to manuever
    the boat so he won't lose it.  (The fish or his hand.)  We were
    finally successful and got a nice 27# chinook in the boat and a
    guy with a slightly purple hand.  I can tell you a fishing pole
    takes that beating a hell of a lot better than your arm.
1149.22Ever been humbled by a 4 yr old???BOXORN::ROYJune 13.... 150,000Mon Aug 28 1989 19:3669
    
    
    	Maybe not such a strange story, but I got a kick out of it.
    
    	Have you ever been humbled by a 4 year old?
    
    	A key part of this story is the lure used.  In reading many
    	of the notes in this file over the last year or two, I came
    	across one or two where some of you had teased 8*) a fellow
    	angler about one of his lures.  It was the skinny rubber
    	worm with the two red beads and the spinner propeller.  I
    	seem to think the jist of it being that it was a 'toy' and
    	that he should try a real lure.......... 8*).
    
    	Now, the subject.  He is my girlfriends son, 4 1/2 years old,
    	named John.  I've been taking them up to my place on Lake
    	Horace in Weare, N.H. for the last two summers.  We almost
    	always get some fishing in.  For the last year, we have been
    	teaching John how to use a fishing pole, by giving him only
    	weights without hooks until he learned to cast, etc. without
    	killing someone.  So, we bought him his own rod and reel, a
    	kiddy Zebco, about 3' long.  Then for Christmas, this past,
    	I bought him a kiddy tackle box with 196 pieces.  In it were
    	all the usual things, plus a couple of the above worms.
    
    	So, yesterday, we go to the lake for the day.  Now, in the
    	past two summers, I have only caught one bluegill from the
    	dock, although I watched a friend catch a small smallmouth
    	there.  So, we get to the dock.  I get the gear from the van,
    	and while getting everything, Jacki brings Johns pole and
    	box to him, puts on this abovementioned 'silly worm', and
    	he gets started.  I'm next to him on the dock setting myself
    	up.  All of a sudden he starts yelling ' I got something, 
    	help!!!!'   So, I figure, sure, a log.  I go to grab the rod,
    	but things are moving!!!!!!!!!   So, I reel in a bit, and
    	instead of a log feeling, this thing starts pulling back,
    	and hard!!!   I give it back to John, so that he can reel
    	it in, but between the whatever pulling, the roughness of
    	the way his reel works (kids, sand, etc), and the fact that
    	whatever it is has gone under a floating deck, he can't do
    	it.  So, I take it back, and reel it in til we can see it.
    	I'll be damned..........  We pull in a good sized bass,
    	at least 12" in length.  Unfortunately, my camera battery
    	had just died, no scale, and no tape measure.  I unhook it,
    	and hold it for him.  Now, I always throw them back, and
    	wanted to just dip the fish quick then let John check it
    	out, but like most genious' 8*), I lost the fish.  As the
    	tail touched the water, he gave a good flip, and I let go.
    	Poor John.............
    
    	Yes, I do feel the fool.....  But, the best part.  After
    	the first one went, I told John to get his pole, maybe he
    	can catch him again.  He does that, throws it in, and 
    	starts yelling again.  Damn if he didn't catch another.
    	Only this time it was only 6-7" long.  Jacki and I each
    	got one bite, then nothing for the rest of the day.
    
    	You know you are in trouble with a 4 year old humbles you.....
    
    	The best part, is that is the largest bass I have seen from
    	there.  Also, I got such a thrill that the one lure that
    	gave many of you such a laugh, caught more fish than my
    	whole box full of stuff has.  (That doesn't mean to say
    	that I know how to fish.......)
    
    
    		Oh what a feeling.................
    			Glenn
    
1149.23Bet we start a run on propeller worms nowTOMCAT::PRESTONWhat makes the Hottentots so hot?Mon Aug 28 1989 20:419
1149.24I like the red ones!HPSCAD::BPUISHYSBob PuishysWed Aug 30 1989 15:148
    People only laugh at lures they don't have!!  bassin Bob has two
    them red ones in his box that are so old and ripped they won't stay
    on the hooks,  The work great for small mouths.  The spinner gives
    that extrat little flash on a bright sunny day that will get them
    to hit.
    
    Bassin Bob
    
1149.25Alternate Texas rigging ??SA1794::CUZZONESWhat a maroon!Wed Aug 30 1989 18:076
    
    The only time I laughed at someone using a worm pre-rigged with
    beads and spinners was when it was coupled with a bobber and still
    fished.  Honest.
    
    -SSS-
1149.26HOW MANY HOOKS???GENRAL::HUNTERfrom SUNNY Colorado, WayneFri Sep 01 1989 18:0717
    	The other day I was out on my favorite lake fishing for Crappie. 
    So, I was fishing with 6# test line, bobber, and nightcrawler.  (The
    REAL KIND. :-) )  I was hopping the worm along rather than just tossing
    it out and drowning the worm type fishing.  I would let the bobber set
    in one spot till I knew the worm had gotten down to the full depth. 
    Then, I would quickly pull the bobber forward about 3 feet to yank the
    worm up.  Then, let it swing back under the bobber again.  I had been
    doing this for about 20 minutes when SUDDENLY, as I pulled the bobber,
    it disappeared in a BIG SPLASH!!!  I felt a tug on the line.  I was SO
    SURPRISED that I forgot to set the hook.  (Good thing, too, as it
    turned out.)  Suddenly, the fish turned loose of the bobber.  By this
    time, the worm was just about the bobber depth and just sort of
    floating down.  (No weight on the worm, just a hook.)  The fish then
    inhaled the worm.  Turned out to be a little 4 pound, 18" Bass.  Now, I
    hook a hook on the bobber as well as the worm.  (Lost a bobber to a
    Pike that way last week when he inhaled the bobber, but, that's a 
    different story.)
1149.27Not a strange story, but a TRUE storySAVVY::LUCIAHe's dead, JimFri Sep 08 1989 15:2337
Here is a personal story that I think you all might find interesting.

Three summers ago, while still in college, I was working selling sporting
goods in Lechmere (now discontinued).  When they went on clearance, I purchased
a Fenwick 8.5' 6 weight fly rod for 67% off (clearance) plus 15% off (emp.
discount), thinking I might like to try this some day.

In February, I went (with some of you) to the fishing expo in Worcester and
saw Lefty Kreh.  After witnessing his casting ability, I memorized all of
his tips and went home to pratice.  The only open area in the apts where I
lived was on the duck pond.  Mind you this is February, so it was frozen.
All the neighbors thought I was wacky, bundled up in winter clothes and
fly casting on the ice.  All summer I practiced casting to bluegills in small
ponds nearby.

(now for the good part)

I spent the last 8 days in the Rocky Mountains (Telluride, CO) fishing for
trout.  I caught my first one 2 hours after I arrived (take into account
that I had to unpack, get a license and find a place).  I fished the San 
Miguel river, Trout Lake, Priest Lake and Woods Lake.  All that practicing
paid off as I ended up with 22 beautifully colored trout.  17 rainbows,
2 browns and 3 brookies.  The biggest was about 16" and the smallest about 6".
All fought like I had never experienced, especially on a fly rod.  If you
are ever in the area, I HIGHLY recommend stopping at one of these locations.
The water is cold (~45 degrees), crystal clear (but contains some heavy
metals and farm animal droppings, so don't drink it) and beautiful.  In the
lakes you could see dozens of fish cruising and rising to midges.  The river
is pretty shallow (1-4' average) and is completly rocky-bottomed.  It is
not too difficult to wade.  The mountains defy all attempts at photographs
and I couldn't find 1000 appropriate words.

Best time I've had in a LONG time.  

Tim

P.S. Now for those choppers...
1149.28Paraphrased from Lancaster Pa. New EraMJOFS::OWENSjust call me BuckMon Sep 11 1989 15:1619
    On Saturday evening, a man launched his canoe from the Wrightsville
    side of the Susquehanna river and paddled approx 1/4 mile offshore.
    He stepped out of the canoe onto a rock and as he tried to reenter the
    canoe he lost his balance and fell into the water.  The canoe tipped
    over and the paddles took off downstream, the man started screaming for
    help and his cries were heard at the launch ramp where some fisherman
    ran for help.  The Wrightsville, Columbia and Mountville fire companies
    responded along with the River Rescue unit and the man was saved.
    
    	Now why is this a strange but true tale, you ask? Well, the man was
    not saved by the fire companies nor the river rescue squad but by a
    fisherman in hip boots who merely walked out to where our despeate hero
    was floundering in TWO FEET OF WATER.  Numerous other wading
    fisherman also responed to walk downstream and get the canoe and it's
    paddles.  Seems our hero was slightly inebreated (read stinking drunk)
    Not only couldn't he stand up in three feet of water but saw fit to
    argue with the local police vehemently enough to be handcuffed and
    hauled off "downtown" where the fish commision charged him with drunken
    boating under the states' new drunken boating law.
1149.29you crossed the line boysRANGER::MACINTYRETerminal AnglerWed May 02 1990 19:531
    You may notice a few missig notes here... sorry guys... mr moderator
1149.30Kamikaze Hawk!!SCARGO::VACHONThu Oct 25 1990 17:3712
     Well this isn't a fish story but it is true! A co-worker of mine got a
    phone call from his wife yesterday saying that a bird flew into their
    mobile home. The killer part is that the bird flew into the SIDE of 
    the mobile home and put a hole in it!!
    
     So Ron goes home and finds that a Pigeon Hawk rammed itself into the
    vinyl siding and puched out a hole on the inside of his kitchen!!
    Well obviously this was hard to believe when he left yesterday so to
    prove that he wasn't kidding he brought in the bird to work today.
    This Hawk was about 3 lbs and had a 2 foot wingspan. I would love to
    see the insurance agents face when he comes out to the house!
    
1149.31musta thought it was *your* trailer!RANGER::MACINTYRETerminal AnglerThu Oct 25 1990 17:585
    Oh Oh, Crashmaster's going to be bummed when he reads that... 
    
    Just yesterday he was telling me that his pet bird flew the coop...
    
    donmac
1149.32CLOVE::TOMASThu Oct 25 1990 20:024
Shoulda just left the bird sticking thru the wall.  You could tell folks 
about your new bird mount!

-HSJ-
1149.33where's my birdRANGER::BEAUDREAUThu Oct 25 1990 21:1120
    
    
    	Where is the mobile home parked....
    
    
    		I want the remains of my pet hawk back.
    
    
    	I have been training it to dive bomb on fishing boats and
    	retrieve bass from live wells.  The bird must have seen
    	one of those bass stickers on the side of the trailer home
    	and confused it for the real thing in a boat.  Shit, the 
    	cat's out of the bag on this project.  I was on schedule
    	to have the hawk fully trained for the DEC spring classic
    	open invitational.
    
    
    	the crashmaster
    
    
1149.34I WON THE TOURNEY...I knew I caught a fish!XCUSME::WATERSThe Legend of the LakesFri Oct 26 1990 11:3112
    
       Where is MATTSON?!  That's it!!  I was tired the day of the Manchuag
    tourney....I knew I caught a big one early in the day.  I had make back
    turned and heard this swooping noise...Martial was sleeping, he didn't
    see the hawk take my fish.
    
       I want to file another protest!  I won this tourney and Don Mac and
    the Habormaster have my MONEY!
    
       Mattson....I want some justice!
    
    							Legend
1149.35You've been caughtMSDOA::CUZZONEI'm the AAA.Fri Oct 26 1990 12:128
    RE:.33 I remember that hawk from a fall or two ago out on
    Monomonac - he was circling the back cove.  You've had him trained for
    years; the cat's really out of the bag now.  Of course there were no
    fish to steal that tourney - I seem to remember that you and/or Don had
    one of the 3 caught (or did the hawk catch it?).  And what about that
    big fish I heard you caught this year?  Hmmm
    
    -SSS-
1149.36I heard a rumor of that hawk.LEVERS::NPAREFri Oct 26 1990 15:477
    	I remember that tourney at Monomonac.My partner and I had heard of
    rumors of a fish borrowing hawk,so we set up our antihawks defenses and
    a satellite dish transducer borrowed from one of the noters(I won't
    mention any names) to track incomings to protect the other 2 fish
    caught.I guess the rumor was true.:-)
    
    	Frenchy
1149.37the old fashion way!RANGER::BEAUDREAUFri Oct 26 1990 16:0610
    
    
    	Fishing with my pet hawk was intended to get back to basic
    	fishing aids. Who need all that expensive electronic fish
    	finders anyway.  I'm part indian.....
    
    		boy am I gonna miss that hawk!
    
    	The harbor"HAWK"master